Thursday, May 29, 2008

What a gorgeous splash of colour to brighten up a winter's day. Two Young Street is the fabulous fabric by Prints Charming.

The first of the Christmas fabrics are also arriving. This is a peak at Nancy Halvorsen's one - beautiful traditional colours and this would be such fun to embellish and quilt.

This is a totally different version - bright and slightly zany.

And still on the subject of Christmas (I know its a little early, but these are too cute not to show you!) - I love these gorgeous new decorations of Barbs - check them out on her website - http://www.theodoracleave.com/.

We have a ''strippers club'' tomorrow night - this is a snippet of part of the jelly roll quilt pattern that the girls will be stitching - I can't show you any more yet because the pattern is a secret! I will post some pics of their quilts after the class - they will all have different fabrics so it will be fun to see the same pattern but in different colours.

Friday, May 23, 2008

This is Jackie Nichols newest pattern just arrived in the post this morning (House on the Hill Designs). La Dolce Vita - two perfectly gorgeous little wall-hangings.

You could team it up with Jackie's ''Paris Cafe'' designs - wouldn't they make a wonderful little quilt if you pieced them all together.

I love this fabric story that arrived this week - it's called Park Lane - these are a close up of the panel fabric - they are 8'' squares - and then there are half a dozen gorgeous co-ordinating prints. They have an oriental ''feel'' to them - and the colours are just a little different and really beautiful.

I finished the Lady Bug needlecase - lots of fun stitching it! This is one of Natalie Lymers new patterns.

And the second cat button story is done as well! (There was indeed a little ''down" time at the soccer but they did make it right through to the finals!)

Do you like the colours of the latest jelly roll - ''Posh'' . Quite fresh and summery. A little boost for these greyer days.

Today the very first of the Christmas fabrics have arrived. A couple of absolutely wonderful panels. I will try to get a picture of them here in a couple of days. Time to head home with a new magazine - Cloth Paper and Scissors ''Studios'' - I am sure there are going to be some fantastic ideas in there for zussing up the sewing room! Have fun stitching over the weekend.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Meet Elsie - she arrived yesterday. We're not quite sure how old Elsie is but going by the note on the outside of the case she is getting on. The note says ''Motor Blew Up in April 1933 - STUFFED!" She might not be able to work anymore, no more stitches for Elsie, but I think she is lovely and have been entrusted to look after her. I'm sure I know just the right spot in the shop for her to nestle.

I have been working on Natalie Lymer's two new Cinderberry designs this week - have just done the little stitchings so far - cute as cute. This one is for The Little Lady Bug - lovely little needlecase and mini tote.

And this little one is for the Stitchers Treasure pattern.

If you haven't found Natalies blog yet, go have a look - its just delightful. And check out her Truly Scrumptious girls while you are there. I am running that as a block of the month, in slightly different colours to Natalie's. Here's a picture of one of my stitched girls. I made the quilt up back at the beginning of the year

I've had these gorgeous buttons at home for a while now, from when I stitched the Woodcutters Daugher Cat Club (now Theodora Cleave). I have a whole basket of Barb's beautiful buttons, both singles and packs, in the shop - they are so incredibly quick to make up into a wonderful little framed stitchery for yourself or for a gift. So these:became this:

Have had fun today putting together fabrics for a new quilt - ''Life's Pleasures and Treasures'' - stunning new pattern from Kerry Gillespie of My Favorite Things. You can find a picture on her blog - myfavoritethings-kerry.blogspot.com. I love this quilt as it is quite different to anything else I have seen for a while and the fabrics I am choosing are really vintage almost reproduction in style - I have just received a gorgeous new range of some Quiltgate fabrics and most of these have been ''put aside'' for this quilt. And I'm pretty sure I have a few worthy inclusions tucked away in my stash at home as well! Hopefully I will be able to show you the start of it next time.

I need to say "thanks" to those who have left me a comment - they are really lovely and encouraging and I do appreciate them. Not feeling quite so nervous about this anymore, and your kind wishes really did help! Thankyou! So, have a great weekend - I've got a soccer tournament to attend, and there will be a little bag of stitching in the car, just in case there are some down moments, in between the games. Happy weekend stitching!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Well, didn't that week go by so quickly! I will tempt you with some pictures of a couple of gorgeous ranges of fabrics that have arrived this past week. The first is a range called "City Girl" - designed by Kitty Yoshida for Benartex Fabrics. What do you think? Pretty yummy. This is my favourite piece (well, this week, anyway).

Here's the rest.

This one is ''Letters in Bloom'' - bright, fresh and fun. (except the blue is supposed to be purple - still working on that one!)

Last Friday at ''stitching'' the girls happily posed for a blog shot. It is quite simply the best way to end the working week - a few hours of stitching, plenty of chat, coffee and cake.

Debbie brought along her finished quilt - The Gardeners Journal - designed by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched. Thought you might like a peek at it.

And a little close up - just so beautifully stitched and wonderful colours.

"Red Club'' has been and gone for another month and this is what the girls made - cute little cushion cover - lots of little techniques in this one, foundation piecing being the one that took the prize for ''most thinking required''.

I'm off now to trace some stitcheries for the new block of the month quilt I am starting, designed by Leslie McConnell, or, I might do a little more sewing of the jelly roll quilt sample for the class at the end of the month. Choices, choices! have a great week with lots of stitching.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

I have decided it is time to join the world of blogging. My friend Barb has convinced me that this is a good thing, so here goes! I am the owner of The Stitchery in Dunedin, my little piece of paradise. The Stitchery has just celebrated it's second birthday - the first two years have been fabulous! The fantastic thing about owning a shop is not only do you get to ''play'' with the fabrics, threads and patterns, but you meet many many wonderful people. These girls create the most amazing and gorgeous creations - I want to be able to share them with you, along with the delicious new goodies and fabrics that arrive here weekly. I hope you will bear with me, though, while I sort out the "techincalities" of the blog as it may take a little time to get it right

Each month we run a ''Red Club'' and a ''Christmas Club'' - the girls meet once a month to stitch a little project - they don't know what it is going to be until they turn up on the night. This is what they did this month for the ''Red Club'' - a wonderful Leannes House redwork sampler - judging on their comments at the end of the night, I think I may have unwittingly turned some of the girls into ''stitchaholics''! Many of them had not done any stitchery before that night, but by the end of it, just wanted to go home and keep stitching. But, it's not a bad obsession (passion) to have is it?

And this is what we did for the first Christmas Club - gorgeous little felt ornaments for the tree, a design of Marg Low. These were amazingly quick and such fun to make.

Take a look at these beautiful vintage French bleu boxes created by Barb Smith (http://www.theodoracleave.com/). I have a lovely little selection of these on display.''Fifi'' is one of Rosalie Quinlan's gorgeous designs - beautifully stitched by Michelle, along with the Needle House (Brenda Rya'n's design) and pincushion and needlebook (Cinderberry Stitches). Susan stitched the cutest little niave mini cushions (another Cinderberry Stitches design). In the background is my ''Matilda's Waltz'''quilt (Brenda Ryan) and a little robin journal made from a button story of Theodora Cleave.

Make time to stitch a little every day! I'm looking forward to being able to show you what the girls have been doing, and some of the lovely treats that find their way into The Stitchery.Bye for now,Jenny